New Year honours for Palin, Twiggy, Southgate and cave rescuers

Monty Python star Michael Palin has been knighted and model Twiggy made a dame in a New Year Honours list that also recognises the achievements of England manager Gareth Southgate.

Southgate becomes an OBE after guiding the Three Lions to the World Cup semi-finals in Russia - and the same honour goes to another sporting hero from 2018, Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas.

Former England cricket captain Alastair Cook and His Dark Materials author Philip Pullman are among the other new knights, while Handmaid's Tale novelist Margaret Atwood joins the elite Companions of Honour.

There are honours and bravery medals for seven members of the team of British divers which rescued 12 young footballers from a Thai cave in July.

And 43 people - including medics and police officers - have been recognised for their response to the terror attacks in Manchester and London in 2017.

New Year Honours 2019: Twiggy, Michael Palin and Gareth Southgate on list

28 December 2018
BBC News

This year Michael Palin, 75, visited North Korea for his latest travel documentary

Monty Python star Michael Palin has been knighted and model Twiggy made a dame in a New Year Honours list that also recognises the achievements of England manager Gareth Southgate.

Southgate becomes an OBE after guiding the Three Lions to the World Cup semi-finals in Russia - and the same honour goes to another sporting hero from 2018, Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas.

Former England cricket captain Alastair Cook and His Dark Materials author Philip Pullman are among the other new knights, while Handmaid's Tale novelist Margaret Atwood joins the elite Companions of Honour.

There are honours and bravery medals for seven members of the team of British divers which rescued 12 young footballers from a Thai cave in July.

And 43 people - including medics and police officers - have been recognised for their response to the terror attacks in Manchester and London in 2017.

'Ambassador for Britain'

Sir Michael's honour means he is the first member of the Monty Python comedy group to be knighted.

But the 75-year-old, who became a CBE in 2000 for his TV work, is being recognised for services to travel, culture and geography following his career as a writer and presenter of documentaries that have taken him all over the world, most recently to North Korea.

He said to mark his latest achievement, he may "just have a quiet celebration, just myself and a glass of Horlicks and then go to bed".

Twiggy shot to fame in 1960s London

The damehood for Twiggy - born Lesley Hornby - is for services to fashion, the arts and charity.

She shot to fame as a face of 1960s London, and referring to her new title, said: "I'm a very proud Brit, I feel I'm an ambassador for Britain, I always have.

"My only sadness with this is my mum and dad aren't here to know. They'd have been so proud."

Southgate's squad reached the final four in Russia in July

Southgate, whose World Cup run came less than two years after he took over as England manager, said: "I hope that everybody that has supported me throughout my career feels pride in the fact that I've received this honour because I wouldn't be in this position without that help and guidance."

Kayaking rescue

Overall, 1,148 people are on the main honours list. Some 70% of recipients are recognised for work in their community and 47% of the total are women.

The dramatic rescue of a boys' football team stranded in a cave in Thailand captivated the world in July. Richard Stanton and John Volanthen, the first divers to reach the teenagers, have been given the George Medal, the second highest civilian gallantry award.

Richard Stanton and John Volanthen were key members of the cave rescue team

Seven firefighters who saved elderly residents from a blaze at a care home in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, in 2017, receive Queen's Gallantry Medals.

Meanwhile, 14-year-old Joe Rowlands, from Cheshire, who saved his father from drowning in a kayaking incident off Anglesey, receives a Queen's Commendation for Bravery.

Among those honoured after the 2017 terror attacks is Detective Chief Inspector Teresa Lam, family liaison lead for Greater Manchester Police, who receives a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to policing and the community.

Colin Kelsey, who led the NHS response to the Manchester Arena bombing, Dr Malik Ramadhan, who was in charge of A&E at the Royal London hospital after the London Bridge attack, and Paul Woodrow, operations director at the London Ambulance Service, all become OBEs.

Former Manchester United and Northern Ireland goalkeeper Harry Gregg, 86, who survived the Munich air disaster in 1958, becomes an OBE for services to football, and there is an MBE for Rangers and Northern Ireland defender Gareth McAuley.

There are MBEs for former Fulham and West Ham player Leroy Rosenior, now vice-president of Show Racism the Red Card, for services to tackling discrimination in sport, and Women's Sport Trust co-founder Joanna Bostock for services to gender equality.

The same honour goes to former world darts champion John Lowe, Welsh triathlete Helen Jenkins and three-time Olympic rowing silver medallist Frances Houghton.

MPs knighted

From the world of business, former Virgin Money boss Jayne-Anne Gadhia is made a dame for her contribution to financial services and women in the industry. Ann Gloag, co-founder of Stagecoach, who set up a healthcare charity for women in Africa, is recognised with a damehood for services to business and philanthropy.

Jayne-Anne Gadhia and Glenda Bailey are among the new dames

The other new dames include former athlete Louise Martin, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, and Glenda Bailey, editor of the US edition of Harper's Bazaar magazine, for services to journalism and the GREAT Britain campaign.

The unexpected knighthood last month for MP John Hayes prompted speculation Downing Street would seek to use honours as an incentive to persuade politicians to back the PM's Brexit deal.

However, decisions on awards for political service are made by an independent committee and the Cabinet Office stressed Theresa May's "strategic steer" for this honours list had been that it supported those working to help children and tackle discrimination.

Melissa Mead has been recognised for her campaign work on sepsis following the death of her son, William

Youth magazine founder Saeed Atcha, 22, is the youngest person on the main list. His MBE is for services to young people and the community in Greater Manchester.

The oldest person is 100-year-old Robert Lingwood, a World War Two veteran whose receives a British Empire Medal for services to the community in County Tyrone.

John Clough, whose daughter Jane was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in Blackpool, gets an MBE for his campaigning on behalf of domestic abuse victims, while Mark Prince, whose 15-year-old son Kiyan was killed outside a London school in 2006, has been made an OBE for tackling gang crime.

The same honour goes to Colin Crooks, from social enterprise Tree Shepherd, who has helped disadvantaged communities in London since the 1980s.

The honours system

Commonly awarded ranks:

Companion of honour - Limited to 65 people. Recipients wear the initials CH after their name
Knight or Dame
CBE - Commander of the Order of the British Empire
OBE - Officer of the Order of the British Empire
MBE - Member of the Order of the British Empire
BEM - British Empire Medal